Break The Hold
by Ana Xpert
Summary: Rogue and Bishop are caught up in the astral plane as the Shadow King plays a twisted game with the X-Men. The X-Men need to bring them back to the real world before it's too late and their bodies perish. Seduction games may be the last tool available to break the spell.
1. Chapter 1

Leaves littered the walkway, bathing it in red and orange. His heavy feet stepped on them with a loud crunch. The porch light was on, and the familiar yellow glow made the house feel warm and comforting. He smiled, despite himself, grateful that he was that he had a family waiting for him to arrive home. A brand-new flower pot on the left window sill was filled with pink tulips. He smiled, feeling immediately foolish for doing so. Her little touches were everything in their home.

The fried fish smell filled his nostrils as he stepped into the house.

Their daughter ran into his arms as soon as she heard the key turning in the lock.

"Look!" She enthusiastically upheld her sloppy homework, hoping her smile would distract him.

"Well, that's-"

"Fifty points for Gryffindor?"

"Groundskeepers may not give points, Miss Granger."

"You should've told me you aren't Hagrid."

"I'm not? Then who am I?"

"Mad-Eye Moody. Isn't that what the 'M's for?"

He roared with laughter. One day she'd realize that despite her most ardent hopes, she wasn't Hermione Granger, either. The dark-skinned ballerina who rushed through her homework to look for fairies in the AC unit was more Luna Lovegood, but of course, they hadn't met yet.

"Fifty points if you tell me where your momma is."

"In the kitchen." She said. "Making the pots stink. Duh! That was a lot easier than subtraction."

He took off his gun holster and badge and put it inside a cabinet which he locked before turning his attention back to his daughter, who seemed used to that routine and watched on, unimpressed. He held her in his arms and made his way to the kitchen.

"Anna! I'm home."

"Lucas! Oh, sug, you startled me." She said. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at him. She had been lost in thoughts when her husband and daughter walked in, almost let the pan she was holding drop to the floor. Her heart raced and she knew exactly why. She was thinking of that man she saw at the school car park earlier. The man with the dark eyes that caused such an impression, his irises seemed to be stained by a single drop of blood. How could she forget? How it upset her! One single glance, it must have lasted a second, and it got her thinking, obsessively thinking of him.

It bothered her to no end. She was not that kind of person, she was not a cheater, nor a liar. But she hadn't done anything, she kept telling herself. They exchanged looks, for a brief moment. That was all. But, it was undeniable, there was some connection between them. He made her insides churn with excitement and warmth flowed through her. But, no, it was nothing. Just an idea in her head, she had done nothing wrong at all. There was no need to feel guilty.

'That's a lie, Anna. You lust for another man. A stranger. Whatever you do, you can't forget him, his eyes are imprinted in your mind.' She sighed deeply and commanded herself to look into her husband's eyes and smile. That man, he didn't deserve anything but honesty from her. He was the one who fulfilled her dreams, made her his wife, gave her a home, a child and placed his very own heart in her hands.

They lived in a little cottage in Mississippi, big enough for their family of three, also compatible with their simple lifestyle. He was a cop, honest and brave. A hard-working man and she admired him for that. In fact, what's not to love about such an honorable man like him? He loved her devotedly. Their sex was good. But that man she saw earlier... That feeling, the attraction she felt when she saw that perfect stranger, it was like nothing she had ever felt before.

'That hot dish wouldn't want me... and if he knew I was just a housewife for a cop, he'd spit in my food, too.' She thought.

"Anna? Did you hear me?" Bishop asked.

"This stupid recipe! I don't know why I bother! No, dear, what did you say?"

"Groceries are still in the car and I haven't hit the can all day. Do you need anything right now? Or can it wait?"

"No." She replied without thinking. "Well, yes, yes, sorry! I need the sugar and the... the... eggs!"

He glanced at her before he left through the kitchen door. His stunningly beautiful wife was not exactly acting herself that evening, he realized. However, he made a point of not making questions. He knew better than ignite the explosive temper he knew she had dormant inside of her. She seemed tamed of late, but he knew how fierce that woman was, quick to anger, her temper terrifying and unpredictable.

While he was outside of the house, she took the food to the table while her daughter helped set the table.

They had dinner mostly in silence, Lucas and their daughter talked casually from time to time. But no Mrs. Bishop. Her eyes were vacant, she picked on her food as she let her imagination run loose. After dinner, she cleaned the kitchen while her husband watched TV, his can of beer as his only company. She could hardly believe she had dreamed of being married for so long!

'Who knew? Marriage's not all it's cracked up to be, huh?' She thought as she emptied the dishwasher. Curiously, just the day before she felt completely at ease and content with her life.

They went to be early, as they usually did. She put her daughter to bed at eight and just an hour after that, it was their own bedtime. She had showered and just slipped on her nightgown when he entered the room.

"Anna, dear. Is everything okay?' He asked her, sliding a hand over her waist and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. A nod was all the reply he got in return. "You're different tonight."

"Just tired, hun." She spoke softly. He turned her around and as soon as their eyes met she knew what was about to happen. He scooped her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down and then moved behind her. With her consent, he started to undress her. His breath caught as he took one good look at his naked wife. His lips brushed her ear and he expressed his love for her. She said she felt the same way, not sure if she really meant what she said.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body close. His hips found their way in between her legs. Bending slightly, he tasted her lips and, finding them sweet, tasted them more, later moving on to taste all of her sultry, soft skin. That's when she closed her eyes and decided she'd keep them shut all the while. That way she could pretend it was the dark-eyed hunk who was making love to her.

She moaned and succumbed to pleasure as she thought of the beautiful stranger. Her husband thrust, holding her hips steady. She gasped loudly. Letting her imagination take over, she bucked and jerked and twisted, aware only of the splendid sensations washing over her body. Fucking her husband thinking of someone else made her feel so wanton!

Once it was all over, each of them rolled over to opposite sides of the bed and drifted off to sleep.

-O-

"It didn't work, did it, Betsy. Why haven't they woken up yet? What are they up to in their own little world?" He asked the lady with the purple hair. He stared at Rogue's sleeping form, his urge to protect and take care of her grew.

"I'm not sure you'll enjoy this, Remy, but... They are shagging right now, darling."

"I told you it wasn't going to work." He shook his head and paced the floor nervously. "Merde! We need them out of the astral plane as fast as humanly possible! The Shadow King wants us to fall for his illusions and perish as we get consumed by them. I thought Anna would see me and snap out of it. But she didn't."

"That's where you're wrong, darling. It is working and if I can take you back in there, for longer this time, you can actually break his hold over her." Noticing his puzzled expression, she continued. "Bloody hell, you don't get it, now do you? He's shafting her alright, but she's thinking of you, wishing it was you instead."

He still seemed unconvinced.

"If there's one thing that can cut through Rogue's mind control, it is you, Gambit."

"So, you're saying..."

"Yes, exactly." She said, reading his thoughts. "We try again."

-O-O-O-

I never did requests before, but OblivionX managed to convince me. He wanted Bishop, Rogue and Remy love triangle and the theme from Astonishing X-Men, which I am reading too, so I thought, that is actually a very good idea.

Thanks to Kataract52 who polished the dialogue in the first part of the fic. It looks much better now.

Please let me know what you guys think. I know, Romy fans will go like Bishop and Rogue... eeek! But bear in mind, it's just an illusion. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Guys, I don't usually write the notes before the story, but I felt this one called for it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what's going on in Astonishing X-Men, believe me, it's so confusing, even I am!

What you need to know to follow this story is basically this: They're in the Astral Plane under the dominion of Farouk, the Shadow King. He and Professor Xavier (which we are still unsure if it really is him) are dueling over the fates of the Astonishing X-Men. The Shadow King wants the X-Men to fall for his illusion, while Xavier is working to break them free of its grasp. Meanwhile, Psylocke, Archangel, and Bishop are in the outside world attempting to protect the bodies of their comrades. As you can see, I obviously changed those players here, it's Remy and Psylocke in the outside and Bishop and Rogue in the astral plane. The UK government isn't too happy about the impromptu attack from a Shadow King-controlled Psylocke which the X-Men just halted. They are concerned about what the mutants could do next and if they should launch a strike to prevent whatever it could be.

I will be dealing here only with the astral plane aspect of the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter too and that I don't disappoint after such lovely reviews left by you guys.

-O-

-O-

Breaking the mental hold was Remy LeBeau's only choice, his only option. The alternative was watching his beloved die a slow death, feeling her body wither just a little more at every passing moment. Even if they could take Bishop and her to a hospital and keep them in assisted coma, the longer they stayed on the astral plane, the higher the chance of permanent brain damage. Her mind, her memories, they were bound to be consumed.

Even if death was meant to take her this time around, she wouldn't even be conscious to see everyone she'd ever loved come from near and far to say farewell and tell her how much they loved her, how much her life had meant to them.

No, she wasn't dying. Not on his watch.

The stakes involved were so high, it was maddening. Remy paced back and forth while Psylocke resumed her task, patiently watching over their friends' bodies.

He stole a quick glance at Bishop's motionless body and could swear the unconscious X-Men was sporting a Mona Lisa smile and felt like kicking the hell out of the large man for that.

"I bet you're enjoying this, mon ami." He muttered bitterly under his breath.

"Would you belt up already? It's not like he was physically touching your girl, your ex, or whatever it is you guys call each other these days."

He stops moving, and turns his blood-red eyes to the telepath, and voiced his concern over how much time they had to defeat Shadow King. Psylocke tried to soothe his nerves and stated once again that she firmly believed in his ability to break Shadow King's control.

"You can do it, Remy. We can do it together. If you get through to her, make her remember you, your love for each other. She will snap out of it, she simply has to."

"Better hurry up, then. We don't have a lot of time with the UK military flying around us."

"Certainly, we don't. But remember their time frame is different. They are having flashes of events. They don't actually sleep in there, for instance. So you should be able to…"

"Just take me back in there, Betsy." He interrupted her. 'I got it. Talk to her, make her remember."

She nodded her head and placed each of her hands on the sides of his head. He took a deep breath, felt a momentary slight discomfort and then, there he was, back to her very own Mississippi.

Since his charming powers were off the table in Shadow King's realm, he knew the task at hand was not even remotely one of the easiest missions he faced in all his long damned life.

"Might be the hardest one." He spoke under his breath. Knowing how strong-willed and stubborn Rogue could be, making her trust him, a complete stranger to her, seemed like a goddamned impossible mission.

There she was, ready to get back into her car after taking her daughter to school. She looked across the car park and her eyes met his. She instantaneously threw him an annoyed look. She was wearing unflattering mom jeans, a green t-shirt that had seen better days and sneakers. It was so not her, he decided. It was all so wrong, he was shaking his head in disbelief without meaning to do it.

Then her head hung low and she walked faster to try to avoid him.

"Anna! Wait! Please?" Her head shot up in alarm. She couldn't believe her ears, he had just called her name.

His voice had a husky drawl and every step he took was in slow motion compared to almost anyone she knew. His idea of hurrying was to bend his head down a little as he sauntered, the pace of his footfalls not changing one iota. That's just the way the man was, born calm, a meticulous thief, one could never change him if they tried. He could be, and he was, crumbling inside, but always managed to keep his poise.

"Excuse me!" She said, not caring to hide how offended she was. "Who the hell are you? How do you know my name?" It was the man, the same man that had been crowding her head since the day before. He smiled at her gently and her heart skipped a beat. She swallowed hard and the smirk he flashed her was proof enough that he noticed her unease.

What he was, what was beautiful about him, came from deep within; it made her want to feel how his lips moved into a kiss, how his hands followed the curves of her body.

'God! These thoughts are dangerous!' She said inside her head, in a feeble attempt to reprimand herself.

There was something about him, she thought. No one feature made the tall mysterious man so handsome, but a combination of all of him, though his eyes came close. She wondered if all other people were swept off their feet when they met that man because of the color of his eyes. As if that were of importance! She knew his would be beautiful in any shade. From them came an intensity, an honesty, a gentleness that overwhelmed her. She felt like trusting him for no good reason at all. Even though the very little rational part of her brain screamed at her that trusting him wasn't a wise choice. But was there a choice at all?

"I know you, Anna. Don't you remember me? Think hard. You know me!"

"No! You must be mistaking me for someone else. Some other girl who also happens to be named Anna. Now, if you'll excuse me." She stepped aside and brushed past him. For a moment, he was tempted to reach out, pull her into his arms, and kiss her passionately, like he hadn't kissed her in a long time.

"Anna! Please! I need to talk to you."

"What the hell do you want from me, sugar?" She asked him exasperated. Her cheeks were flushed and she could actually feel her pulse quickening. That man had some nerve!

"Can we go somewhere quiet? Damn, chére, is that too much to ask? All I ask for is a minute of your attention. I really need to talk to you."

He tried to tell her who he was, what they meant to each other, how she was in dreamland, but she was having none of it. Her temper exploded. She shoved him hard and walked away.

"You! You get away from me, Mister! You hear me? I'm a married woman, for God's sake! A mother! I'll call the cops! I'll call my husband!", she babbled.

He followed her through the car park as she made her way to her car. She stomped all the while. When she reached her vehicle, she turned around to face him. She folded her arms over her chest defiantly. Staring into his eyes, she held his gaze, cockily challenging him.

"Now what? I told you to leave. What you gonna do to me, huh?" She said in a petulant voice, peering at him with raised eyebrows.

"I'm gonna make you remember me." He said, leaning in on her. Her face was so close, so frightened, so beloved, that before he realized it, he kissed her. She gave a suppressed cry and clutched his face between her hands, returning the kiss almost desperately. His tongue exploring her mouth made her melt inside. She gasped with desire as his hands eased gently down her back, stopping only to caress her soft flesh. That was inexplicable and she knew it, she had never felt that way when her husband kissed her. Or perhaps, she did once, but couldn't remember.

The handsome man didn't seem to be able to reign in his desire for her and pulled her body closer to him.

'NO! This is wrong!' Good judgment screamed inside her head and she shoved him away, even if he was all she wanted. When her eyes met his, she saw how the man was mortified at her reaction.

"Chére! You still don't remember me? Incroyable! The way you kissed me, it was the same!" His hands traveled down his hair and he frowned at her in frustration. "You remember me! You do! You kissed me back and the kiss, it felt it perfect, didn't it? I bet it felt amazing for you too, mon coeur."

She stared at him wildly for a moment. His usually playful smile had drawn into a hard line across his face. His perfect lips were swollen from the magnificent kissing session. His strong hands held hers as he stared back deep into her eyes. She couldn't help but blush and look away.

"Just because something feels good, it doesn't make it right!" She responded firmly as she let go of his hands to unnecessarily straighten up her t-shirt. "Can I ask you something, Mister?"

"LeBeau, Remy LeBeau." He offered.

"Right, Mr. LeBeau. Can you please… can you just leave me the hell alone?" He tried to say something but she cut him out. "I'm not who you think I am. I am a mother… and a, and a… a wife and I don't need you fucking up my life, okay?"

"Chére! For fuck's sake! This is not you! Look at you! You like boots! And, and, and... expensive perfume! Is that your dream? Really? To settle for this?" He knew he should carefully choose his words, but he was too angry at his failed attempt to wake her up from the illusion. "Enough of these games, Anna. I'm gonna cut to the chase. What you're living here, this is not real, chére. Can't you see? You're not married to Bishop, this isn't your life! I come from the outside world, you gotta see the light and snap out of this, come with me!'

"Who's to say your reality is the right one? How can you tell which is which?" Her words resounded powerfully and left him speechless. She pulled away from him completely and got into her car, slamming the door hard for good measure. Opening her window, she spoke to him one last time.

"I'm sorry I am not the person you are looking for. And honestly, I think you should see a shrink. Take care of yourself, Mr. LeBeau." And with those words, she drove off.

'Where the fuck did I go wrong?' He asked himself. 'Betsy seemed so sure that this would work.'

'Remy, what's going on? I'm pulling you back. You seem too agitated. I'm afraid for your mental integrity.' He heard the British woman say inside his head. There was an odd sensation, he was neither in nor out of the astral plane. He felt like particles of him were scattered through dimensions, a horrible feeling. With a gasp to get his breath back, he opened his eyes to find he was back to the real world, back to staring at Rogue and Bishop lying unconscious on the floor.

Braddock stared at him in suspense.

"Bloody hell, Gambit! What happened? You were shaking horribly, I feared you were about to convulse!"

"It didn't work, Betsy. And we are wasting time. What the fuck do we do now?"

"I don't know. But I promise you, we'll figure it out."

-O-

She sped up all the way home. Her hands were trembling and her heart racing.

"What in the world did just happen?" She uttered to herself. "That man is crazy! But a hell of a kisser, still crazy, though. And I'm a whore for allowing it to happen, for letting him kiss me.", she spoke bitterly, feeling disgusted at herself.

If she was distracted the day before, today she was a mess. Almost forgot to pick up her precious daughter from school, burned her finger while cooking, a total mess, indeed. She just wouldn't stop thinking of him.

Let's face it, even at a dinner party, she was the one that got ignored. Once people knew the beautiful wife of officer Bishop was just a stay home and bake, make pickles and jar her own pasta sauce type, they glazed over and desperately sought someone more interesting to talk to. Yet that man, that drop dead gorgeous oops here goes my panties man looked at her, not only that, he wanted her. He wanted to talk to her. But he was crazy, right? He had to be.

Half past five, her husband got home. It was a different day, but the same old routine. He played with their daughter in the living room while she fixed them dinner. They ate, he took the dishes to the kitchen while she took the little one down for the night. He watched TV, she cleaned the kitchen. They went upstairs and got ready to sleep. Lucas sat on the bed and was about to turn down the lights when she emerged from their shared bathroom, long hair dripping wet, naked. In the dim light, he couldn't see she'd been crying.

"Wait, babe. Don't go to sleep just yet. I need you tonight."


	3. Chapter 3

As long as time is concerned, people will come and unfairly go. That lesson he had learned very early. Time won't stop in this cruel world. And it was ticking, tick, tock, tick, tock. If only he could make it stand still for just a little. He watched his sweetheart's body on the floor and reflected on how one mistake could ruin you whole. That too, he knew from experience.

Time was of the essence, he knew it. Of all the people he had ever met in his life, she was the one who mattered most. He just couldn't explain it, but she was. Even his family were not as constant as she had been, for the life of him, he couldn't just let hers slip away.

"While I live, you don't die." He remembered how those words popped out of those lips so vividly. He hated her then, for not letting him die as a hero. But now, he could understand her perfectly well. He could never let go of her either. She was his person, his rock throughout the years. Even if she was not around, just the fact that she was somewhere out there, alive, carrying him in her heart, was enough. Besides, if he ever got to grow old, he wanted it to be around her. They would be like two old grumpy men, continuously arguing and insulting each other. Oh, the joy!

He crouched down and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"We gotta do something." He spoke earnestly.

Betsy didn't respond with words, but let out an audible sigh. Remy could feel it how tension emanated from her.

With each passing moment, Gambit and Psylocke came closer to the conclusion that the task at hand was doomed to disaster. Since it couldn't be estimated how much longer they would need to bring their friends back to the outside world, they knew the only way they could keep them alive and well was to have Anna and Lucas on life support.

"I could always carry Anna to the hospital." He continued. "Leaves you with the lighter of the two. Can't anybody say my daddy didn't raise a gentleman." He joked lightly, trying to lighten up the British lady's mood.

Betsy Braddock hardly registered what he said as she paced restlessly around the room until she had a Eureka moment.

"We'll surrender! They think we are the enemy, but we are not. If I let them have me arrested amicably, they'll take Rogue and Bishop to a hospital," the telepath spoke hurriedly.

"Non! We will be gone for God knows how long and they'll be forever lost!" Psylocke tried but couldn't get a word in edgeways. "Betsy, no one is going to believe you. You were possessed by an invisible entity and that's why you were fucking up all of London? Right, that sounds completely non-crazy. Besides, they are already biased against mutants. We'll be taken into custody and…"

"Please, Gambit, for the love of God! You're a thief! When was the last time you let the cops get a hold of you?"

"You got a point there. I'm listening."

"What if…" She paused for a moment, lost in thoughts. She took a lingering glance at both Rogue and Bishop lying unconscious on the floor, their breaths shallow. "What if I took you to the Astral Plane and left you there? You'd be just another body on the floor and they'd hook you up to machines like the two of them. This would buy you more time to fix it."

"But you know the authorities would take you and then, mon ami, you wouldn't be there to guide me and monitor the three of us."

"That was the 'but' I was just going to tell you about. Looking at the brighter side, though, I could try to, you know, save the world, fight against Shadow King."

"Oui, I see."

"Your call, LeBeau. I always took you for a risk-taker."

"I don't mind risking my life for her, it's her wellbeing that I worry about. What if I don't make it in time?"

The silence around them was interrupted by Rogue's soft moaning. Gambit sat down next to her and caressed her hair, his brows were drawn together in a frown, his heart overwhelmed by apprehension.

"Oh, Remy." She breathed out.

"So we know what's happening on the other side. It appears that your latest visit to their reality left some good impressions. Gambit, you're already breaking her dream. It might take a bit more pushing, but those walls are going down. However…"

"Oh, there's always one."

"However," she continued. "You have to remind yourself why you're there. I don't want you to fall for the illusions yourself. You know that's a possibility, don't you?"

"Oui, je sais."

"So are you in or are you out? We got no time to waste."

"You know my answer already. Why do you ask?"

"Take it as a disclaimer agreement." She blinked at him. He simply laid down next to Rogue, took one last glance at her and closed his eyes.

"Au revoir, Madame Braddock."

"See you later, LeBeau. And… good luck. You're probably gonna need it."

-O-O-O-

Before the day had started for everyone else, she was already in her kitchen, fully dressed and ready to go. Outside it was still as black as night, only by the clock could she tell the difference between the time to sleep and the time to rise. The dawn would come as she packed her little one's backpack and fixed her husband's uniform.

She took a look around her and was invaded with a feeling she couldn't quite name. She missed the vibrant hues of the bigger cities, the noise and even non-stop noise of passing cars. She wanted to see and be seen, be a big city girl and have a life like those ladies in the women's magazines she used to read.

"You like boots! And… and… expensive perfume!" His voice rang in her head.

The person he got her mistaken for, she wanted to be that person. The lady in his life, the one that had evoked such a passionate kiss, she must wear makeup and party clothes every day, she naively decided.

The picture of another version of herself wearing an expensive evening gown and seated in a high-class restaurant popped in her mind. She behaved in a way that was fitting to her attire and surrounds. Then, Mr. LeBeau would come along, the lady she would never be stood up to meet him and was greeted with a breath-taking kiss. His lips crashed into hers while he held her hips, pulling them slightly up and towards him, in a very manly way. His hands on her hips made her feel lighter, dainty and sexy.

Noise upstairs, her little family was up and out of bed, making her daydream fade away.

Maybe she should apply for a job, do something to change her life, even if just a little, give it more meaning, somehow.

Skipping her way into the kitchen, the little one smiled and greeted her mom. She was a vision to behold. Her eyes were alight, her every muscle needed to move, to dance, to jump. Anna couldn't help smiling broadly every time she walked into the room. There was sunshine in her smile and a certain melody to her voice.

"Hey, there, sleepyhead! You okay? Slept well, sugar?"

"Yep, mom. What about you? Did you dream of unicorns?" She asked her mom with her squeaky voice. Rogue laughed at the unexpected question.

"No unicorns for me today, hun. You?"

"I dreamt I lived in an enchanted forest and had two unicorns: a pink and a purple one. I got to brush their hair all day long."

"You mean their mane?"

"No, there was no man in my dreams, just the unicorns, and their beautiful hair."

"It's called mane, love. I'm just trying to teach you a new word. M.A.N.E." The girl repeated the letters and smiled at her mom. They say you can't bottle love but as a mom, Rogue knew these people were wrong. Her beautiful daughter was the proof. That bouncy stride of hers, how wide her smile was and how wide she reached for every hug… that kid was love in a bottle; just seeing her made Rogue glad to be alive, and sure the little sacrifices she made for her were worth it.

Then, her husband walked in and her stomach twisted into a knot, she could hardly breathe. The way she acted the previous night made her embarrassed. She blushed fiercely, and Lucas knew why.

Last night, she asked for sex, she used him knowing exactly why she was doing it. She needed to let out the feelings and thirst for sex she had bottled all day.

She did all sorts of things she had never done before. Brazenly, she got on her knees and sucked him off. Oral sex for her used to be only a tease to get him ready, she had never gone all the way. The previous night, though, uncharacteristically she swallowed every single drop of him. Not only that, she had been different in every single way. It was not like her to ask him to fuck her hard, dictate positions, bark orders at him, and swear shamelessly as she came hard. It was like she was a whole different person, but at the same time, she seemed to be comfortable in her skin. It was as if she blossomed into the radiance and magnificence she was always meant to possess.

"The perfect definition of a lady in the street but a whore in the bedroom." Lucas thought as he eyed her curves appreciatively.

When their eyes met, she drew a deep, shuddering breath. He noticed. He walked towards her and planted a sweet kiss on the top of her head, she closed her eyes and sighed. What he didn't know is that, also last night, she couldn't sleep. Resorting to the couch downstairs, she had touched herself until she climaxed and then, called out another man's name.

They exchanged a few words, no heartfelt love confessions, no mentions of the night before, just discussed the practicalities of the day ahead.

"I'll take her to school."

"Will you pick her up from ballet today or will I have to leave work earlier?"

'Can you get the groceries today?'

'We need coffee."

"Working late? Oh, no. Not again!"

The uneventful conversation went for as long as it needed to go. When everybody was set for the day, they left. She dropped him off at the police station and headed straight to the school after that.

"Goodbye, honey. You have a nice day at school, okay?" She said as she hugged her daughter tight.

"Mom! Don't make a big scene!" The little one complained.

"I love you, my precious little girl." She said, not giving a single fuck about her daughter's complaint.

"I love you too, mom." The girl replied with a smile, admitting defeat.

She looked around the car park, secretly hoping the stranger, no, not a stranger anymore, Remy LeBeau would be there stalking her.

'You did tell him to fuck off and leave you alone, didn't you, girl? What the fuck did you expect?' She muttered to herself.

She went back home, cleaned, cooked and felt boredom was threatening to engulf her. The man didn't make an appearance. It had been so easy to get used to his attention. She was upset, depressed even, hardly touching her coffee. On the spur of the moment, she got the car keys and decided to go to the nearest mall.

The place was a sensory overload and it lulled her somehow. The messages and carefully styled images to seduce consumers were wherever her eyes fell. There was everything she wanted to be for sale, the person she longed to be came with a price tag. She remembered his words, uttered in such desperation.

"This is not you. Look at you!"

Those words had made her feel so inadequate, poorly dressed and groomed. Knowing she didn't have a place in the world, she had settled for just that. For being the queen of her home, and only there she was meant to be loved and accepted. But why should she think that was enough? All she had to do was to find that spark, the spark to just start her fire back up. And, the truth was that she had found it, the spark was in his kiss, his wanting of her, her of all people: Ms. No One Knows You Exist. His smile, his interest, that kiss, all of it brought back her true colors. Who knew a stranger could change her life, forever.

She strode on, touched by confidence she never knew she possessed. That man was crazy, but he did do something for her. Remembering him and his crazy claims brought a smile to her lips.

There were professional shopping guides smiling at every shop entrance, always ready for more business. She roamed the aisles, thinking how she couldn't afford any of that. Until a green silky dress caught her eye, she cracked her neck to take a better look at it. It was so beautiful! A shop assistant quickly picked up on her interest and invited her in to try it on.

The green sheets of the dress slipped onto her shoulders, peppering her body with soft, sensual kisses. Like a lover, it seduced the senses and conveyed with utmost skill the art of seduction. It clung onto all the right places, her hips, her breasts, that perfect behind of hers she so constantly hid with ill-fitted jeans. She looked at her old clothes pooled on the floor with disgust. Taking another good look at herself in the mirror, she flashed a beaming smile for her own benefit. She came in feeling ordinary and if she were to take that dress, she knew she'd leave as if she were walking on a podium.

"Can we take a look, darling? How does it fit?"

She shyly left the changing room, and as soon as the shop assistants caught a glimpse of her, they showered her with compliments.

"You look amazing, sugar. Can I take a picture of you in it to add to the store Instagram account?"

"What!? No way! Are you serious?"

"Ms., I admit I may pass out fake compliments from time to time, just to make people buy, but you, you look stunning. I mean it!"

"Why, thank you, sugar." She smiled warmly at the woman. God knows words of encouragement and appreciation were much needed.

After having her pictures taken, she changed back into her old clothes and thanked the lady, but said she couldn't afford the dress and returned it to the shop assistant.

"I'll get the manager to give you a discount. This dress looks fabulous on you. You are meant to have it."

She was going to say she still couldn't buy it, but decided to throw all care to the wind, reached inside her bag and got the credit card they had for emergencies and paid for the dress and also new shoes that went with it. The lady serving her could see how she was in a moral conflict to spend that kind of money on herself.

"I don't mean to be rude, but, we are hiring at the moment. Perhaps you could apply, just leave us your name and number. I could put a good word for you, we'll give you a call."

The old Anna would have thanked but refused, the new Anna jumped at the opportunity. She ended up leaving the shop wearing her new clothes, feeling like a million dollars. So distracted she was that she bumped into a man the moment she stepped outside.

Unsurprisingly, the man in question was no other than Remy LeBeau. She found herself in his arms as he held both her shoulders while looking down at her, smiling mischievously, very pleased with what he saw.

"Nice to see you again, chére." He couldn't help but smirk at her. "You tell me to leave you the hell alone, only to go and throw yourself into my arms? You got me confused, mon coeur."

"Mr. LeBeau!" she exclaimed. Her heart raced and when he opened his mouth to speak again it was with that thick Cajun accent of his that made her hair stand in the back of her neck. The hand he offered to shake was much more delicate than her husband's, the skin softer than a baby's. His face was one of utmost confidence, whatever game this man played he wasn't used to losing it.

"You remember my name. I know, I"m nearly impossible to forget." He winked at her, took her hand in his and kissed it. She pulled away, stepping back and widening the space between them.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." He continued. "You know, I'm new in town. I'm feeling homesick and then, I saw you. And you… oh, chére, you look so much like somebody I know, somebody that is so very special to me. I'm truly sorry. You must think I'm a creep, huh? Desolée, chére."

"That's okay, I suppose." She whispered. Inwardly wishing he wouldn't apologize for kissing her because she was not sorry, not in the least. That kiss brought her back to life. The raw emotion in his stare was electrifying, and it filled her with unprecedented boldness.

"Listen, Mr. LeBeau. I have some time to kill before I have to pick up my daughter from school, would you like to grab a coffee? I'm sure they have a Starbucks somewhere in here."

"Nothing would make me happier, chére."

He guided her through the crowd by the small of her back. It didn't feel invasive, but gentle, caring even. She knew she should have stopped him touching her in public, but instead, melted into his soft touch.

Life was suddenly very good, it was great indeed.

-O-O-O-

A/N – Thanks for all the support I've been getting. I'm not sure I replied to all reviews, I appreciate every single one of them. And sorry, no smut this chapter, guys. But as people predicted, she's slowly changing. What will it take to break the spell, for once and for all?


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:

Cough! Cough! This story! It was neglected like no other story of mine before. I apologize and thanks for the people who kept asking me to finish it. I'm finally catching a break, after having moved abroad yet again. Never thought I would, but here I am, in Portugal this time.

I'd recommend you read the previous three chapters, you probably don't remember details. And, as always, I hope you enjoy (and review) it.

-o-O-o-

As they walked side by side towards the nearest coffee shop, his hand found hers and closed over it. Just like that, she thought, amazed. They kept on walking without a word. She had been so distracted, playing thousands of different scenarios in her head. Anxiously anticipating the moment ahead of her.

She was astounded, could barely believe how far she had come, how distant she was from her 50s housewife self. Already the cafe was in sight and her mind still swirled in thoughts.

Customers in and out, shiny silver tables and chairs, modern art prints framed on the walls and light jazz music, there they were. She appreciated the faux chic atmosphere, her eyes looked around, instinctively scanning her surroundings, looking for any familiar faces. Would anyone recognize her? Could perhaps anyone call her out? Judge her for being out and about with a man who was not her husband? Her devoted husband who was at work busting his ass to put food on their table. Argh! Just push those thoughts away, silly! She commanded herself. There were no neighbors, no cops, no acquaintances at all. All she found were the servers in smart matching garb, serving fancy coffee to people who wore false smiles.

She was breaking the rules, she knew it, breaking them so bad. She should have been at home instead, or out shopping something to cook up for dinner. One thing was for sure, she most definitely should not be in the company of a man who wasn't her husband and who, coincidently, also happened to be too damn good looking for his own good. She took a side glance and thought of how life must be for him, what with all the stares women threw his way, having people instantly get charmed by you must be annoying, she pondered. Tedious even! She giggled lightly at her own silliness.

"Would you mind sharing the joke, chére?" His sensual voice woke her up.

"That was nothing, hun." She replied, shaking her head in amusement.

"Well, here we are. What can I get you, mon coeur?" He asked her.

"Mon what? Well, it's Anna. The name is Anna."

"Just an endearment way to address you, chére. No need to get all worked up. I can call you just Anna if you prefer."

"Sorry, I… It's alright, I like 'chére'." She smiled foolishly. It felt nice to be giddy. It had been so long since she had been alone with a man that wasn't Lucas. Oh, Lord! Was this a date? God no! It couldn't be! It was most definitely not! She told herself and stopped playing games with him, telling him she wanted whatever he was having. In a minute he was back with two small cups of dark roasted coffee and two butter croissants.

'No drawings on my coffee? Just this black little thing? No marshmallows or cream on top?' She thought to herself while she tried her best to smile and hide her disappointment. He noticed and smirked at her. Her unrefined ways were endearing to him and made him want to kiss her at that very moment. She looked every bit like the small town girl that she was.

"What is it, sugar? Quit staring at me already. You're making me uncomfortable." She reprimanded him lightly, adding a little smile to her lips, trying her best not to sound harsh.

"It's just that…" He paused. She shot her eyebrows up, encouraging him to continue. "Bon, you look so much like the girl I love, used to love, still love… er, well, I guess you got the picture. Your eyes, just like hers, so much so that it's unsettling. It feels as if she were dead." She gasped at his words so he continued, and tried to explain the unexplainable. "You look exactly like her, but at the same time, nothing like her. I see you, you are the spitting image of her but the way your lips curl into shy smiles, the way you walk, the way you move, it's all so off. You're so different from my Rogue."

"Rogue?"

"Yes, that's her name, I mean, how she prefers to be called."

"That's a hell of a weird name." She commented, just a second after making a face as she tasted the black coffee. The sight made him chuckle.

"Weird, huh? That's not even half of it…"

"Tell me more about her." She asked with unabashed curiosity, and he was happy to oblige, telling her all about his Rogue, the fierce courageous woman with a short temper, but a big heart, willing to sacrifice her own well-being for the sake of others.

"Wow! She sounds like an amazing woman."

"She is." He confirmed.

"But her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top, bless her heart." He laughed hard at her words.

"Enough about Rogue, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" He asked her, his voice gentle and reassuring, the kind he used when he wanted people to trust him and so she did. Shyly at first, but in the end, she opened up to him. She told him all about her, as far as her illusion permitted. She seemed to have all the details of her make-believe life covered.

There was nothing extremely remarkable about her, that one thing was evident. She knew she was very uninteresting compared to that Rogue of his. But still, he listened to her, he seemed genuinely interested. She hadn't expected that. He was a great listener. He showed interest, asked questions. She barely talked to Lucas these days and never anything that was meaningful.

"Lord! Look at the time. I really gotta go, Mr. LeBeau." She was up and leaving hurriedly just like Cinderella at midnight.

"Hey, Anna!" He called out.

Before she could say anything, he fired away.

"Can I have your number? I could use a friend here in this town."

She hesitated for half a second before saying it out loud for him. He didn't write it down though, he said he was good at memorizing numbers. She waved goodbye and off she went.

Her phone rang just minutes after she got home with her daughter. It wasn't him, it was the lady from the shop. She got offered the job, without even thinking of talking to her husband about it, she said yes. She'd start the next day. When Lucas got home, she told him about the job and they had a fight over it. He thought she should have told him about it. She had never even mentioned she wanted to work, decisions had to be made about their daughter.

"What's got into you, Anna?" His question rang in her ears all night long. She couldn't sleep. Good question, hun, she thought. What in the world was happening to her? She would very much like to work out an answer to that too.

Everything seemed perfect in her life. She had everything she ever dreamt of as a child: a stable happy home. She was a mother and a wife and fulfilled her roles perfectly. But then, she met that man and all of sudden she felt like that wasn't enough. She had to leave her comfort zone, to be bold, to be someone else.

After hours staring at the ceiling, her eyes finally drifted closed. And she dreamt of Remy LeBeau, yet again. There was something about him, there was something about them within close proximity with each other. Their connection was taking over her peace of mind. She saw him in her dreams, him touching her naked body. His touch was unhurried as if they had forever to be like this. His wandering fingers tracing hypnotic circles with his thumb while he plundered her mouth like the pervert she'd accused him of being that day in the car park.

"I love you, Rogue." He whispered in between moans and kisses.

She sat up in bed, startled. Covered in sweat, breathing frantic, she tried to calm herself down and go back to sleep when she realized Bishop was watching her.

"Are you okay? You don't look okay." He asked emotionlessly.

"I'm… I'm fine. Just a bad dream. Sorry, did I wake you up, sugar?"

"You didn't." He replied coldly, He sighed heavily and turned his back to her, trying to go back to sleep, or pretending to do so.

-o-

Two days later, Psylocke was finally able to reach the facility where they were hospitalized. Their vital signs remained stable. God only knew how their minds were, though. Upon arrival, she was informed that the patients, especially the big man, got agitated sometimes.

The professor had contacted her after she and the rest of the team managed to stop the most imminent threat of complete destruction of London. He guided her into his memories. Farouk and Xavier were playing some sordid game. She remembered Farouk's words to Xavier and sighed deeply.

"Pushing against the surface tension of a person's illusions is exhilarating. You won't be able to wake them up this time, I've sunk them deep."

And deeply sunken into their illusion they were as she soon enough found out. Without a second of hesitation, Psylocke moved closer to Remy LeBeau, touching his temple with both her hands, she closed her eyes and concentrated hard in the task ahead of her. Her forehead furrowed into an agonized frown.

"Bollocks, LeBeau! We're not done yet. I still need you lot." She muttered under her breath. Rogue and Bishop were not an option for her, she couldn't reach out for them, she had tried but they were too long gone, their illusions too embedded in their minds.

For her utmost despair, LeBeau proved to be hard to reach too.

"Fuck me! LeBeau! The fuck you're doing or should I say not doing?" She found him in a café, waiting for Anna Marie.

"Betsy!" He exclaimed. "Have you moved here too, mon ami? It's quite a pretty little town."

"I haven't moved here, LeBeau, you twat! You were supposed to wake them up. You don't remember any of it, do you?" The confused expression on his face told her the whole story. He had succumbed to the illusions himself. Rogue was now a shop assistant, who had befriended Remy LeBeau while still faithful to her husband Lucas Bishop. They used to meet for coffee every day at the mall. In their minds, a month went by and Remy had been successfully friend zoned, even though Rogue had wet dreams of him every night.

As soon as Psylocke said the words, Gambit was back in the game with her, well aware of what he had to do. He updated her on Bishop and Rogue's recent activities.

"And I surrendered to the authorities for this, Remy LeBeau? Bloody hell! You are still as far from shafting her as you were before I left you! Thank God they bought the story I told them and let me go as long as myself and the others helped fix some of the mess we made."

"Bon, she's slowly changing her ways. I think we made some progress." He offered.

"Remy, Farouk is winning! If you guys are not out of here in a day or two, you'll be all irremediably brain damaged, stuck here in this illusion forevermore. We thought you could sex her up, maybe that would jumpstart her memories of you. Remember? I'm starting to doubt that would work too." She confessed, visibly in distress.

"There must be a way." He wanted to offer some valuable input, but he was feeling hopeless himself.

"Farouk's hold is too strong." She shook her head. "I wish there was more I could do. Just maintaining a link to the astral plane so I can guide you is so consuming."

"I appreciate your effort, Betsy. It's just… It hasn't been enough. And you're simply not catching a break, eh? How's everyone outside? Is London still standing?"

"That is under control now. Everyone is in one piece. But it has been hard, extra harder without you, Bishop and Rogue. We just barely managed." Remy sighed in discontent, he wanted out, he wanted to help, but most importantly he wanted her back, his Rogue. All he wanted was for Anna Marie to just wake up and remember him, even if not all their memories were good happy ones.

"The Shadow King attacks creating a reality for you the moment you arrive at his realm. It may be your worst nightmare or your greatest fantasy. But it's always vivid, always real. LeBeau, I know you are a smart man, there's gotta be a way for you to show her that this place here isn't real." She paused. "There's something else, as long as he's busy playing with you three, he's not controlling any other psychics out there. That's why I could break free. I almost destroyed London, Remy! So, think about it, you are fighting in a different way, but you're still fighting."

"That's good to know, Braddock."

"You were never a quitter, Remy. Not that I remember. You gonna pull this off. However, I don't know if there's still room for subtlety. You gotta hit her hard, give it all you got. You made this woman fall for you time and again. It can't be that much harder than before."

"The problem is, she is under my spell alright, but she's as faithful and loyal as one can be. She won't be cheating on her husband."

"Then, find some other way."

And with those words, she left him as she saw Rogue walking into the café. She eyed the telepath with curiosity as she walked past her.

"Hello there, Rogue." She said carelessly, incredulous green eyes almost popped out of her teammate's face.

"Good luck, Remy!" She called out to him before leaving the astral plane, and Remy to his own resources.


	5. Chapter 5

Brown curly hair was splashed all over the pillow, sweet brown eyes smiled back at her mother. It was bedtime and the little girl was tucked in bed for the night. Around her shoulders was her old baby quilt, worn as a cape might be. As if all those cozy memories of her younger herself wrapped in that old quilt, cradled in her beautiful mama's arms gave her powers, the power to sleep peacefully all through the night.

Anna Marie watched her with adoration as she sang their customary bedtime lullaby. It was their best-kept secret.

"No one can know, mommy. If my friends find out you still sing me lullabies to sleep, they will make fun of me forever and ever!" The olive-skinned girl used to say. "But, you know what, mommy? I love it when you sing for me."

Before leaving her room, she kissed her daughter's forehead tenderly, inwardly prayed and thanked God for the blessing that child was. For their daughter happiness was quite simple. It was hugs with her mama and playing games with her dad, an uplifting story at bedtime and the knowledge that her mom and dad were always there whenever she needed them. Food was always available, she had a comfortable bed. She had friends and toys to play with. Her mom and dad sometimes walked with her in the woods where she could splash in the stream. That made her happy too.

Anna sighed as she left her little princess's room. For a moment she wished she could learn from her daughter how to be happy again, she wanted to see the world through her eyes. If you showed her a gold coin or a kitten and asked her to pick one, she'd take the silly cat every time. Treasure or fun? Fun! Stability or emotions? Emotions, of course! Vegetables or chocolate? Chocolate, surely! Lucas Bishop or Remy LeBeau? Oh, God! Why was she even making herself that question?

She climbed down the stairs and was intrigued by the silence. Every evening after she put her daughter down to sleep, she'd go to the living room and find her husband watching television. Most of the times Lucas didn't even know why he was watching it. He didn't laugh when he was supposed to, he didn't feel any tension during the drama, and he barely followed any plot. He just sat there next to the peanuts bowl until to his surprise they were gone. Anna would have taken the empty bowl to the dishwasher without him even noticing it. His eyes rested back on the flickering screen and found that in his brief distraction the commercials had begun. Often he preferred them to the show. They were short, attention-grabbing and required no intellectual effort, his brain had all been burn out down at the station. But not today, today there was nothing, graveyard silence. It was odd, his behavior that night during dinner, it didn't sit quite right. Now the silence was the nail in the coffin, Anna had butterflies in her stomach.

Lucas had his legs crossed and was tapping his Ray-Bans impatiently on the coffee table. He had been waiting for her to show up, it was obvious. Anna sat next to him on the sofa and he looked up from his phone, smiling in that tense way he did when he was about to vent. She placed both her hands on her lap gently, and swallowed self-consciously. She forced a smile just the same way she did for her customers at the shop. They never knew the difference and neither did he.

"Do you know a Mr. LeBeau?" he began, his attempt to keep things light already waning. Fuck! That was bad, really, really bad.

"Hmmm, well, yes. What about him?" She faked nonchalance.

"Well, for one thing, I don't know him. And my guys at the station have seen him and you, together at the mall." She went pale, a terrible actress she was. Then, despite the rising tension in his voice, he snickered. "What a loser, eh?"

Anna pursed her lips. What on Earth!

"What do you mean? Loser?" She asked him cautiously.

"Well, he obviously wants my wife, but he can't have her. Right?" He asked her, his voice was coarse, his eyes somehow menacing.

"What are you trying to imply here, Lucas?"

"Well, they told me he looks at you as if he wants to eat you!"

"What!? Are you crazy, Lucas? This is non-sense!"

"That's what the guys told me. And I said it couldn't be true. Not my wife! She'd not meet some fellow without telling me about it. Let alone go to coffee shops with another man! Smile and chat while her husband is busting his ass at work! But you have been keeping little secrets, haven't you, Anna? First this job, all this aloofness of yours, you haven't been acting the same. Now I know why!"

She could see it first in his eyes, then the tension of his muscles, an inability to think clearly soon followed. His fists stayed firmly by his sides, yet his words did more damage than they ever could. All that anger was born of pain, jealousy and sadness, he needed to calm himself, find himself, ignite his feelings of love and protectiveness in that moment of anger, but that task proved way too hard for him. His heart was completely shattered, never in his wildest dreams would he think his wife could cheat on him.

His words were hurtful, and in no time, they were yelling at each other. He wanted a confession from her, but one he wouldn't get. She had done nothing wrong, there were those accidental kisses when Remy LeBeau met her and thought she was a woman named Rogue, but other than that, they were friends.

When she didn't say what he wanted to hear, he shook her violently by the shoulders.

"Say it, Anna! Say it! Do you go down on him the same way you go down on me? Do you like his taste better than mine?" That was when she snapped. She shook his hands off her and slapped his face with all her might.

"Go fuck yourself, Lucas!" She ran to the kitchen, grabbed her bag and car keys and made her way to the garage. Her husband followed her, apologizing for acting so aggressive. A little too late. She would have none of it. In a moment of fury, she entered the car and slammed the door shut. Her tyres squealed, her heart raced, and before she could blink an eye she was calling Remy LeBeau.

-O-O-

"Anna! What happened?" He opened his arms for her slightly and right on she jumped into them. She had never been to his place before, but over the phone, she seemed so desperate, told him she had to see him. So, he made no objections when she asked him for his address.

Her eyes were glittering and she could not utter a single word, feeling the muscles of her chin tremble like a small child. She looked into his eyes with such intensity, as if his devil-like eyes could soothe her soul.

"Remy, I…" She trailed off. He didn't expect her to explain anything, it was all pointless, he knew. He had one thing to do, he had to make love to her and hopefully, that would make her remember. And now that the chance had just presented itself to him, wrapped in a satin bow, all shades of guilt engulfed him. But he had to push that feeling away. He couldn't miss it, or he might never get a good chance like that again. Or, it could simply be too late.

Panting slightly, he held her face in his hands, bent down and let his lips brush hers lightly, just a feather of a touch before he cradled her against his chest. She allowed it and welcomed his display of affection. That was great, right? But damn it! He was feeling too much, he thought.

"You just have to do it." He told himself inside his head. But that was not just some girl, that was not just any mission. That was Rogue, as in THE Rogue, his Anna, aka the love of his life. Oh well, he could lie as much as he wanted about it, but right now, when all their lives were at stake, it was as clear as day, she was the one. They were two idiots for pretending they were just friends. He remembered her asking him "Still?" when he flirted with her some days earlier, before all this crazy shit happened.

"Yes, still! Yes, I still want you in my life! Always!" He wanted to have said then. But oh well, he missed his chance and might never ever get another one. At the end of the day, it was all just banter, right? Fuck, they were two fools indeed!

Now there they were, in the astral plane, his Anna, unaware of all their history, into his arms. Her body was taut and shuddering, so he pressed her closer still. His other hand was laced in the cascade of her hair, cradling her head against his chest. She slid her hands to his shoulders and held on tight. He wanted to talk to her, ask her how she was feeling but knew he couldn't or he'd risk it all. He would lose the moment and that made him feel terrible, as if he was about to use her.

He felt an urge to comfort her, but also himself. So he did it with a kiss. Heat flared in his eyes. He crossed his heart and hoped to die as he brought his mouth down on hers, harder, hungrier than before. He entered her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside with an eager moan. They closed their eyes. Both their breaths were shaking. She gasped as he deepened the kiss. Their lips parted for a second, she rested two fingers on his lips and smiled deliciously at him. For a second, she seemed to be his Anna again.

"Thank you," she said in barely more than a whisper.

"For what?" He replied, his voice low and husky. Could it possibly be that now she remembered?

"For being you." Her voice wavered, exhilarated from the tension between them. "For showing me what an insipid life I was leading." She completed, leaving no room for hopes just yet.

Anna Marie gently leaned in and kissed Remy's warm lips. They pulled apart and took shaky, shallow breaths. Unable to contain herself anymore, her hands worked their way around his body, feeling each muscle, each line along his perfect physique. His mind swirled with all the emotions resurfacing at her gentle touches.

Boldly, she stepped back and eyed all of him, the corner of her lips slightly curved. His heart quickened as she brought the dress she was wearing down over her arms to her waist and freed her breasts. He couldn't help his mouth watering for a taste of them. Those pink nipples he knew too damn well and the sweet moans that usually followed when his lips met them.

The look on her face did not reveal her feelings. Was she going to let him make love to her out of lust or out of anger and frustration? He was in no position to wonder too much longer, hypnotized as he was by the sight of her perky breasts. She stepped closer to him, and reached upward, dragging his head down so that his lips encircled her breast. Like an electric current, a shock ripped through her. His teeth and lips were amazing around her nipple, his hand massaging the other one just the right way, just the way she liked. A loud moan escaped her lips before she could stop herself. The emptiness that had plagued her those last weeks seemed to be all but gone.

Unceremoniously, Remy's hands find their way to her dress that was pooled around her waist and pulled it all the way down her ankles. She helped him by stepping out of it. He then kissed down her chest and over her stomach, his hands never leaving her breasts, she whimpered, wanting a more thorough touch and not able to get it with her panties still in place.

"I never thought I'd be able to want a man as much as I want you now." She whispered. He stood frozen at her confession, stopping all the action, he looked into her eyes. Without a word, he lifted her from her feet and carried her down the hallway to his bedroom. He lowered her gently to the bed, and knelt across from her. Without looking into her eyes again, he took her panties off. She was now completely bare and she was his for the taking. She closed her eyes in excitement and gasped when his lips pressed gently against her sex. His hands found their way to her breast once again while he pleasured her, the same way he had done numerous times before. As his tongue worked her sex, ever so slowly, he could hear her breathing deeper. She couldn't remember feeling such intense pleasure, she trembled helplessly at the sensation. She cried out in ecstasy. A thin layer of perspiration caused her body to glisten in the faint light that filled the room.

"Remy! Oh, God! Mr. LeBeau, you're a devil in bed! I want you, I want all of you. I want more."

' Mr. LeBeau, huh?' He thought. It seemed that his work was not done yet. He stood silently as he removed his clothing. Work had in fact just begun.


	6. Chapter 6

Anger boiled deep inside his system, as hot as lava, as explosive as dynamite. It churned within, made him hungry for destruction. It was too much for him to handle. Madness took the best of him. He kept reliving the nightmares he used to have of Anna and another man, a handsome young man. His wife and the man were walking together, smiling, hand in hand in a beautiful garden. A garden he had never seen before, or so he thought. Were the dreams a premonition of some kind? He should have been wiser, that woman was never to be tamed.

The pressure of the raging sea of anger had forced him to say things he did not mean, made him expose thoughts he thought he had suppressed for weeks. Because he knew, deep inside he had always known, things weren't normal for weeks now. He always thought it was just a phase, they'd be alright, right? Wrong! Fuck, he had been so damn wrong this time.

He knew he should have gotten out of her way before he erupted in that furious state. But the anger pull was too strong, he didn't stop it.

"You're one lucky, man." "She's way too pretty for you. What have you done to win her over, fella?" "Wow! Your bride is stunning. You hit jackpot, man!" He remembered people say. That's how they congratulated him on their wedding day. Basically, everyone was saying he was biting more than he could chew. They were right all along.

Fires of fury and hatred were smoldering in his eyes. He knew that eventually, that feeling would pass, but while it hadn't, he was well aware he could end up really hurting people. Well, he had hurt Anna already, hadn't he? Physically? He wasn't sure. Psychologically and emotionally? Most definitely.

"Idiot that I am, she's probably in his arms right now. If there was nothing between them as she said, now there is."

He felt like howling into the night, screaming his pain away. He needed to escape. He had to run away from his own shame and guilt. He had to see her, she needed to know he never meant to treat her like that. Only then, he remembered his daughter. That he had one innocent little girl who was at home, asleep. He was the parent in charge, but he needed to go. He couldn't simply stay and stare at the walls. He placed a call and asked their neighbor to watch the little one for him while he was out. He wouldn't be long, he said. He lied unashamedly. He didn't know how long he would be out, nor where he was headed.

Fists clenched, hard staring eyes, he bolted out of their house, taking his gun, out of habit, perhaps. Would he use the gun if he saw his wife with another man? He didn't give that any thought. The gun he always carried around had become second skin to him. The idea of leaving it behind hadn't even crossed his mind.

Allowing the darkness he felt swallow him whole, he pushed the pedal to the ground and sped away. Shame and jealousy were flowing through his veins, they were his fuel. He didn't have a destination in mind, but the tracking device he had placed in Anna's car for her own protection would come in hand for the very first time.

-O-

Her eyes shone brightly at the sight of him, the awe easily visible on her facial expression revealed it was as if she was seeing him in all his naked glory for the first time ever.

"My God! Is this for real?" She thought as her eyes feasted on his perfectly sculpted body, she licked her lips in anticipation and sighed deeply. Their eyes locked, both hearts were racing wildly. As much as he wanted her, he was uncomfortable with the fact their sex was going to be a means to an end. On her end, it was all like a wet dream had come true. She forgot about everything else, it was just him and that luscious moment they were sharing.

"I want you. All of you." She whispered to him as her fingers found his body and gently moved to his chest, outlining his muscles. He sat on the bed and, without further ado, she straddled his lap, lowering her gorgeous body on top of him. Her nipples were pointing right at his face and he couldn't help smiling appreciatively. He leaned back, placing one hand on her hip and the other one on her ass. He kneaded her curvaceous booty, and she let him, smiling mischievously at him. Inch by inch, they became one. Anna moaned loudly feeling her inner walls stretching for him at the very first thrust. The sensation was exhilarating. She felt amazing as she began to rock gently back and forth above him. Her breasts bounced with her movements and had Remy LeBeau hypnotized.

With each rhythmic movement, she moaned louder. With each thrust, a wave of pleasure invaded her, that man awakened sensations she never knew existed.

What made him that delicious? Why was he that special?

She experienced a deja-vu moment when he put her on her fours and instead of entering her once more and getting his pleasure, his knees dropped to the floor, his hands rested on her ass and his tongue licked and lips sucked all of her sex, each entrance, driving her into absolute ecstasy. She came hard, so gloriously hard. Her sex was still in spasms when he penetrated her again. It was like his game was to make her orgasm as many times as possible before he orgasmed himself. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she'd seen that before. Did she see that in some porn movie? Or did some friend tell her about a lover who did it just like that? She couldn't quite place it, but didn't dwell on that feeling too much longer.

"Just stop analyzing and feel the moment, you silly." A voice said inside her head, the voice of her own conscience, she thought.

He thrust into her again and again, harder and deeper than before. 'He must be close', she thought as she scratched his back. He groaned lowly as she dug her nails into his back. Her moaning was music to his ears and invigorated him. He could feel her body clenching up on him as he slammed his body against her, time and again.

"Oh, my! Oh, God! Remy! I'm… I'm coming!"

He tensed and trembled. Her whole body was shaking with the intensity of their lovemaking. She had completely lost all control of the sounds of pleasure leaving her lips when she felt the heat as he emptied himself inside her.

Once it was all over, he wrapped his toned arms around her waist and nestled his face against her neck.

"Rogue, I love you!" He whispered in her ear while lovingly stroking her hair. "I love you so much. I'm sorry." She smiled and hugged him, then gave him a peck.

"Sorry? Sorry for what, Mr. LeBeau? You just gave me the best sex of my life!", she confessed. He stared at her wide-eyed.

Damn it! She was still Mrs. Bishop!

Just then, they hear a loud thump outside. As fast as lightning, Lucas Bishop stormed into the room but he stopped abruptly as if he'd hit an invisible stone wall when he saw the couple naked in bed. His wife was in another man's arms. The other man was tall and handsome: slim, muscular, with an almost perfectly symmetrical face. Plus, he had some eyes, that guy! Mesmerizing devil eyes! How could she not be attracted to him?

'He may be the devil himself!' Lucas thought. 'But he screwed my wife and now he's going to pay for it!' Without a second of hesitation, he drew his gun on the man who had stolen his wife. Little did he know that the wife in question was never his. Her heart and soul belonged to Remy LeBeau all along.

"Lucas! No!" She threw herself on top of the man who had just made love to her and shielded him. "If you're gonna shoot him, then you'll have to shoot me first." It reminded Remy of the time Vargas drove his sword through her body and his. That woman and her ways! She was always up for saving his ass, no matter what. No one in their right mind could blame him for being stupid, completely and forever in love with her.

"Anna, how could you? How could you do this to me? To us! To our family! To our daughter?"

"Hey, leave my little princess out of this!"

At that very instant, a thought struck Remy. They have never said the child's name. Never! That had to be it, the key to prove them it was all just a fantasy.

"Enough!" Gambit demanded, turning to Rogue. "This isn't real. None of this is real! You're not his wife and you have never looked at Rogue that way, Bishop. Can't you guys see? This is an illusion. We are in the astral plane!"

"Oh, no, sugar. Not again. Now is not the time. I thought you were over that!"

"You have some nerve, you fucker! Give me one reason why I shouldn't blow up your head right now. You fuck my wife and try to pull this ridiculous stunt? I'm not stupid! This is not Matrix, blue pill, red pill…" He trailed off. "Say your prayers before I…" but Gambit interrupted him.

"What's your daughter's name?" He asked quietly. None of them replied, both of them were wrecking their brains, Anna's face contorted in agonizing pain. "I said what on Earth is your daughter's name?" He shouted at them this time.

Both of them remained speechless.

This couldn't be happening! What kind of parents didn't know their own daughter's name! Unless, there had never been a daughter, nor house, nor family, Remy had been right all along, this was nothing but an illusion. And they fell into the trap so easily! Like lambs to the slaughter.

Rogue started crying inconsolably.

"My daughter! I loved her. So, is she not real?" She didn't break quietly, it was like every atom of her being screamed in unison, traumatized that her beloved daughter simply did not exist. When the wracking sobs passed she cried in such a desolate way that brought tears to Bishop's eyes. He understood what she was going through.

Slowly realization sank into both of them. They realized they had been nothing but pawns at the hands of Shadow King. Being completely possessed by that entity, they lived a life of lies. Bishop's eyes were glued to the floor, he was visibly embarrassed by all the things they did and shared during that time.

"So what happens now?" Bishop asked Remy. From the moment they found out the truth, they were all miraculously dressed up. Now they were in what seemed to be an empty dark room.

"I think we are out of the astral plane, somewhere in between. I guess we just wake up. Try and make the conscious decision of opening your eyes. Bishop was the first to disappear. Rogue and Gambit locked eyes and remained in silence for a brief moment.

"You said you loved me." She said.

"I did and I meant it." He replied, boldly staring into her eyes as he said the words.

"I don't know how I'll cope, Remy. It's as if I lost someone, not just an acquaintance, someone important, you know? The pain is just so real."

"I hear you, chére. I'll be there for you if you want me to. You'll get over it, eventually. You were always the strong one, remember?"

"Ok, let's just rip off the bandaid, shall we?"

"D'accord. I'll see you on the other side, chére."

"Remy! Before we go, I'd like to say, thank you. Thank you for everything, Remy." She reached for his hands and gave him a kiss, not a mere thank-you kiss, but a full on, open-mouthed, almost sexual kiss. Then, closing her eyes shut, she willed herself awake.

-O-

Rogue and Bishop had both decided they didn't want to keep memories of their daughter that were so hurtful, caused them both so much pain and asked Psylocke if she could erase the memories they had from the astral plane.

"I'd never be able to work with Rogue with all those memories, memories of us having sex and stuff. That was all very… embarrassing. And Rogue, I know she's having a hard time, and so am I, with the memory of us being parents to a pretty little girl." He confessed to the British telepath before their session.

"Very well, I can understand that, Lucas."

After an hour, it was Rogue's turn to go in. Bishop emerged out of the lab with a smile on his face.

"So, was it all right, sugar? What do you remember our time in the astral plane?" She asked him with curiosity.

"That we were trapped there and Remy rescued us. It's all a bit foggy. I guess there was a memory I really wanted to get rid of, right? We must have been some crazy shit over there!"

"Oh, well. I don't wanna spoil what the good telepath has just done for you." She said and blinked at him as she walked past him towards the medical facility. "Oh my, I have to forget that Bishop has that massive cock of his! I can barely look at him as it is right now. " She chuckled to herself.

"Before we get started, Betsy, I have only one request."

"Fair enough. I am all ears, darling."

"You gotta promise you'll keep this request confidential."

"Naturally." Psylocke nodded.

"I don't want to forget about what Remy and I lived over there. How he saved me, the love we've made, and that he also, well, he said he loved me and I really don't want to forget that." Braddock gasped in surprise. Then, a smile followed. Anna mirrored her.

"I think that is a very wise decision, Rogue. I wouldn't want to forget something like that either. Now relax, and focus on everything you want to forget, guide me as we go, will you?"

"Thanks, Betsy. I'll show you everything I want gone, sugar. Especially, a certain cock going down my throat. That simply has to go!"

The two women laughed out loud at that. Rogue could joke all she wanted, what was really impairing was the fact that she missed a child that never existed. She had to let go and seemed unable to do it on her own.

-O-

It was a warm day and he just had an intense workout session. He was exhausted. He stepped into the shower, toes flinching as they touched the chilled ceramic floor. His mind was in shreds; he would never get that picture out of his mind, beautiful Anna heartbroken, crying for the loss of the child she never had. He turned the dial, releasing thousands of lukewarm drops, darkening his hair, they trickled down his back. His eyes fell closed, each time showing him the images like photographs, his Rogue kissing his lips, straddling him, enveloping his body with her own, and the sweet smile on her face as he declared his love for her. Even though her memories were not in place then, she was still his sweet loving Anna. His daydreaming was short-lived though, from his bedroom came the sound of his phone ringing. The ringtone had been specially assigned for her, he'd better pick up.

"Bonjour, boss. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call? Don't tell me you have some urgent mission! Please, please, don't!"

"Remy, when you hear about this mission I have in store for you, you're gonna pay me a million bucks."

"I seriously doubt that, mon ami." He said and sighed. "Just cut to the chase, s'il vous plait."

"Ok, remember we were talking the other day, me and you? About Rogue and you, the latest mission you were in together and all that? Well, here it goes. Cerebra picked up a large number of mutants just vanishing, and it looks very suspicious, we need to investigate…"

"Chére, hold on a minute. And what does Rogue or I have to do with this?"

"Ok, ok. I'm so excited for you! I know you're gonna love this! Three words: you, Rogue, island."

"Why didn't you say so? Where do I sign up?"

-O-O-O-

The End

-O-O-O-

Author's notes: Thank you, everyone, who had faith in me, and pestered me to finish writing this story in reviews and PMs LOL I hate it that I left the story abandoned for so long, but a lot has happened. I moved to a whole 'nother continent and went off writing for a while. But I don't ever want to be the writer who just abandons a fic. I know what it's like to wait for a chapter to come out and it never does. So here you are, I hope you enjoyed it.


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